Byrne takes win despite bizarre incident
Haslam and Crutchlow just miss out
Shane 'Shakey' Byrne made a tremendous recovery to take the opening Bennetts British Superbike Championship race win of the day at Mallory Park after a four-way scrap at the front.
Cal Crutchlow led the pack into Gerrards for the first time with Michael Laverty, Leon Haslam and Shane Byrne tucked in behind. There was drama in the opening corner as Leon Camier and Billy McConnell touched sending Camier crashing out of the race; clearly winded, he was able to walk away from the high-speed tumble.
Crutchlow was then able to hold the advantage at the front with Laverty close behind, but Haslam was the rider on the move. The 'Pocket Rocket' made several attempts to pass the Relentless Suzuki before he was able to make it stick on lap seven when he passed into the Hairpin.
The manoeuvre signalled one of the most dramatic moments of the season; Byrne saw a gap where Laverty had moved wide following Haslam's pass and Byrne moved to the inside only to be pinned to the wall as Laverty pulled it back. Laverty and Byrne touched with Byrne almost parking his Airwaves Ducati in an upright position against the wall. This dropped them both back behind Tom Sykes, who had been able to capitalise on the incident and move to third.
Tom Sykes was flying on the Rizla Suzuki, setting a lap time on the tenth lap that was quicker than his pole position time of yesterday and he became the first rider to dip under a 56 second lap.
Crutchlow was then under threat from his team-mate Haslam who shadowed his every move until lap 18 when he made a determined attempt down the inside in the run in to the Hairpin. It was the two HM Plant Hondas at the front but Byrne was clawing his way back after his incident with Laverty and by lap 21 he was back in third and ahead of Sykes.
Byrne, putting aside the fact that this is his least favourite circuit, got his head down and aimed for Crutchlow. He was able to pass five laps later at Charlies and then had his sights set on Haslam. The manoeuvre on Haslam came just a lap later at the Devil's Elbow after drafting past him on the straight.
Byrne was satisfied with his hard-earned win: "I think I was most nervous before this race than any other this season as this is one track I don't enjoy but the crowd can get so close which is great. When I got myself up against the wall I thought 'what can I do now?' but I was able to get to the front. I got held up by backmarkers on my final lap which really narrowed my advantage. The team did a great job as always so I am happy with that."
Haslam was able to hold off team-mate Crutchlow to take his fourth podium of the season. He said: "To be fair the pace wasn't that great and I made my move and thought I could maybe push that bit harder at the front. I stuck at it and got into a good rhythm but then I heard the Ducati. Shakey made a fair move and then Martin Jessopp just stuffed it for me by not moving off the line when we lapped him and Shakey was able to then get an advantage."
Michael Laverty was trying to close on Crutchlow in the latter stages of the race, but his hard work was to be in vain after he crashed out at Charlies on lap 28; he was able to rejoin but he would have to settle for 11th.
Karl Harris' bad luck returned this afternoon; after a promising start the Rob Mac Racing Yamaha rider was forced to retire as his bike overheated follwing a stone becoming caught in the radiator.
Michael Rutter also had a disappointing race onboard the North West 200 Ducati. 'The Blade' had to start from the back of the grid after a problem with his machine as the warm up lap commenced. He carved his way through the field to 12th as he strived to close down the leaders only to high-side out of the race on the Stebbe Straight on lap 28.
The two BSB returnees James Haydon and Sean Emmett had a disappointing return in the first race of the day with Haydon crashing out at Edwinas on the 13th lap and Emmett retiring later in the race.
Cal Crutchlow led the pack into Gerrards for the first time with Michael Laverty, Leon Haslam and Shane Byrne tucked in behind. There was drama in the opening corner as Leon Camier and Billy McConnell touched sending Camier crashing out of the race; clearly winded, he was able to walk away from the high-speed tumble.
Crutchlow was then able to hold the advantage at the front with Laverty close behind, but Haslam was the rider on the move. The 'Pocket Rocket' made several attempts to pass the Relentless Suzuki before he was able to make it stick on lap seven when he passed into the Hairpin.
The manoeuvre signalled one of the most dramatic moments of the season; Byrne saw a gap where Laverty had moved wide following Haslam's pass and Byrne moved to the inside only to be pinned to the wall as Laverty pulled it back. Laverty and Byrne touched with Byrne almost parking his Airwaves Ducati in an upright position against the wall. This dropped them both back behind Tom Sykes, who had been able to capitalise on the incident and move to third.
Tom Sykes was flying on the Rizla Suzuki, setting a lap time on the tenth lap that was quicker than his pole position time of yesterday and he became the first rider to dip under a 56 second lap.
Crutchlow was then under threat from his team-mate Haslam who shadowed his every move until lap 18 when he made a determined attempt down the inside in the run in to the Hairpin. It was the two HM Plant Hondas at the front but Byrne was clawing his way back after his incident with Laverty and by lap 21 he was back in third and ahead of Sykes.
Byrne, putting aside the fact that this is his least favourite circuit, got his head down and aimed for Crutchlow. He was able to pass five laps later at Charlies and then had his sights set on Haslam. The manoeuvre on Haslam came just a lap later at the Devil's Elbow after drafting past him on the straight.
Byrne was satisfied with his hard-earned win: "I think I was most nervous before this race than any other this season as this is one track I don't enjoy but the crowd can get so close which is great. When I got myself up against the wall I thought 'what can I do now?' but I was able to get to the front. I got held up by backmarkers on my final lap which really narrowed my advantage. The team did a great job as always so I am happy with that."
Haslam was able to hold off team-mate Crutchlow to take his fourth podium of the season. He said: "To be fair the pace wasn't that great and I made my move and thought I could maybe push that bit harder at the front. I stuck at it and got into a good rhythm but then I heard the Ducati. Shakey made a fair move and then Martin Jessopp just stuffed it for me by not moving off the line when we lapped him and Shakey was able to then get an advantage."
Michael Laverty was trying to close on Crutchlow in the latter stages of the race, but his hard work was to be in vain after he crashed out at Charlies on lap 28; he was able to rejoin but he would have to settle for 11th.
Karl Harris' bad luck returned this afternoon; after a promising start the Rob Mac Racing Yamaha rider was forced to retire as his bike overheated follwing a stone becoming caught in the radiator.
Michael Rutter also had a disappointing race onboard the North West 200 Ducati. 'The Blade' had to start from the back of the grid after a problem with his machine as the warm up lap commenced. He carved his way through the field to 12th as he strived to close down the leaders only to high-side out of the race on the Stebbe Straight on lap 28.
The two BSB returnees James Haydon and Sean Emmett had a disappointing return in the first race of the day with Haydon crashing out at Edwinas on the 13th lap and Emmett retiring later in the race.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Mallory Park, race one:
1. Shane Byrne (Airwaves Ducati)
2. Leon Haslam (HM Plant Honda) +1.024s
3. Cal Crutchlow (HM Plant Honda) +1.147s
4. Tom Sykes (Rizla Suzuki) +1.355s
5. James Ellison (Hydrex Bike Animal Honda) +11.302s
6. Billy McConnell (MSS Disovery Kawasaki) +17.149s
7. Simon Andrews (Lloyds British Jentin Racing Yamaha) +18.252s
8. Tristan Palmer (TENA for Men Honda) +19.761s
9. Atsushi Watanabe (Rizla Suzuki) +26.422s
10. John Laverty (Buildbase NW200 Ducati) +27.593s